Sports
Test debut for Ratnayake at Old Trafford?
Rex Clementine
in Manchester
After Sri Lanka were beaten by England Lions in Worcester with two sessions to spare in the four day game, there was no packing of bags and getting ready to head to the next location – Manchester. Instead, the entire team was in the middle for a training session that went beyond two hours. One exception was uncapped fast bowler Milan Ratnayake.
Sri Lanka played three quicks for the four day game in Worcester that ended on Saturday. Right-arm seamer Asitha Fernando and his namesake Vishwa Fernando, a left-arm seam bowler, were rested from the warm-up game as they were certainties for Old Trafford. So, from the three quicks who played in Worcester, only one was going to feature in the first Test.
Lahiru Kumara, having bowled so well should be backed as the third seamer ahead of Kasun Rajitha and Milan Ratnayake. However, although both Kumara and Rajitha bowled after the game during the training session, Ratnayake was told to take a breather. That’s because of the three seamers, he was the most impressive in Worcester and he could be in line for his Test debut in three days’ time.
However, having said that, it will be a huge call to make for Kumara is Sri Lanka’s quickest bowler and was the highest wicket taker in Sri Lanka’s last series win.
Ratnayake’s ability to bat and bowl well with the older ball are factors that are in favour of him. Selector on tour Ajantha Mendis has a tough call to make.
Born in Kurunegala, Ratnayake learned his cricket at the far off Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya, Wariyapola. Standing at six feet and one inch, the 28-year-old represented Air Force in domestic cricket before moving to Australia.
Ratnayake played cricket in Australia for a couple of years but things didn’t work out with COVID and he returned home and has forced his way back into the senior side with good performance in domestic cricket.
Sri Lanka’s batting was a flop during the warm-up game. In the first innings, it was damp and overcast and the moving ball had the batters work cut out. But in the second essay, when the sun was out, you expected them to do much better.
In fact, they started off well with the openers adding 105 runs. Nishan Madushka was on course for a hundred that would have done his confidence lot of good ahead of the Test series. But he threw it away taking on the off-spinner.
Angelo Mathews and Sadeera Samarawickrama also gave their wickets away to the off-spinner with the former captain attempting a reverse sweep but was unable to execute it properly.
Captain Dhananjaya de Silva, like Mathews scored a half-century but fell to the second new ball shouldering arms.
In the first innings, Sri Lanka were shot out for 139 but fared much better scoring 306 in the second essay. They could have easily posted over 400 runs in the second innings and that would have tested England Lions.
You should not read too much into these warm-up games. The team usually bring up their best game when Test matches get underway.
Not often Sri Lanka get to play in England in the second half of the summer when the wickets have flattened out and the sun is out. Playing Test matches in May is quite a task when wickets are fresh and it is gloomy, dark and damp.
Old Trafford this season has been spinning a lot and Prabath Jayasuriya could have a major impact in the series. Asitha Fernando is a much improved bowler and has won Sri Lanka a few games. Vishwa Fernando, though, is Sri Lanka’s trump card. He featured for Yorkshire this year and had a good season.
Sri Lanka will be back in London next week for back to back Test matches at Lord’s and The Oval. They have not played a Test match at The Oval for 26 years now. Lord’s is nostalgic yes, but the other London Test ground has its own unique place in cricket having hosted the first ever Test match in England. Traditionally, The Oval also hosts the last Test match of the English season.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy will retire from all forms of cricket following the upcoming series against India.
The 35-year-old wicket-keeper has more than 7,000 runs and 275 dismissals to her name in all formats of the game and led Australia to a historic 16-0 whitewash of England 8n the Ashes in 2025.
She has won the World Cup twice, with the highest individual score of 170 in a World Cup final coming against England in 2022, and the T20 World Cup on six occasions.
Healy said: “I’m still passionate about playing for Australia, but I’ve somewhat lost that competitive edge that’s kept me driven since the start, so the time feels right to call it a day.
“I’ll genuinely miss my team-mates, singing the team song and walking out to open the batting for Australia. Representing my country has been an incredible honour and I’m grateful for one last series in the green and gold.”
Healy is married to Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc and is the niece of another Australian great in wicket keeper Ian Healy. She also already has a successful broadcasting career as a pundit and commentator.
Todd Greenberg, Cricket Australia CEO said: “Alyssa is one of the all-time greats of the game and has made an immeasurable contribution both on and off the field over her 15-year career.
“We look forward to celebrating her achievements throughout the series against India.”
Australia host India in a Test match, three one-day internationals and three T20 matches in February and March
(BBC Sports)
They began with a scrappy last-ball win to kick off WPL 2026, but there was nothing scrappy about Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) second win, over UP Warriorz, on Monday night.
Grace Harris tore into her former franchise with a breathtaking assault, sending the ball to all parts of the DY Patil Stadium. By the time she was out for a 40-ball 85, RCB needed just seven runs to win with 50 deliveries remaining.
In an effort similar to her opening-night honours, Lauren Bell swung the new ball and troubled Warriorz’s openers in her first two overs. In trying to break the stranglehold, Harleen Deol attempted to jailbreak in her third, but could only spoon a catch to Smriti Mandhana at mid-off for a 14-ball 11. And just like that, UP Warriorz had seen two different opening pairs come and go without giving them the start they were after.
She was denied a wicket in her first over – the sixth of the innings – when Meg Lanning’s swipe landed agonisingly short of Arundhati Reddy at backward square leg, but Shreyanka Patil had Lanning hack uncharacteristically to Radha Yadav at deep midwicket off her next.
In the same over, she also had a second wicket when Phoebe Litchfield flat-batted a short ball straight to Mandhana at mid-on, shortly after having reverse-swept her for six
Coming off a four-for and an unbeaten half-century against Mumbai Indians, de Klerk began with two wickets off her first two deliveries. Kiran Navgire fell first when she heaved a length ball to cow corner, while Shweta Sehrawat was brilliantly caught at backward point by Reddy. Warriorz were in all sorts of trouble at 50 for 5.
This was the perfect fire-and-ice combination on paper. But on Monday, they were both mellower and batted risk-free for much of their unbeaten 93-run partnership. Deandra Dottin signalled a change of intent when she went after Patil in her third over – the 15th – by muscling a length ball for six over long-on. That galvanised both batters to break free; Deepti Sharma gave the perfect finish by going after Patil in a 15-run final over that helped them finish with 143.
With two rookies in their top four, RCB could’ve chosen to play safe by having Gautami Naik partner Mandhana. But they took the aggressive route, and Harris justified that decision by muscling a 22-ball half-century as RCB wiped out 78 in the powerplay alone.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has opened an investigation and warned of possible disciplinary action for “unacceptable behaviour of players and officials” as they clashed on the pitch on Saturday at the end of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) quarterfinal between Algeria and Nigeria.
“CAF has referred the matters to the disciplinary board for investigation and has called for appropriate action to be taken if the identified persons were to be found guilty of any wrongdoing,” said African football’s governing body in a statement on Monday.
Tensions spilled over on the pitch at the end of the January 10 game in Marrakesh, Morocco, which Nigeria won 2-0 thanks to second-half goals by Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams.
Referee Issa Sy was shielded from irate Algeria team staff and was escorted off the field. Video clips showed Sy was still being pursued in the mixed zone for media and broadcasters as he made his way to his cabin.
Any disciplinary action could have an impact on the Super Eagles as they prepare for their semifinal showdown on Wednesday against Morocco.
“CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour which occurs during matches, especially those targeting the refereeing team or match organisers,” CAF said.
Video showed accredited media fighting in the mixed zone as they waited for players to pass through for interviews after the match.
Algeria’s federation also confirmed it had filed a complaint with CAF over Sy’s performance
“The Algerian Football Federation cannot ignore the refereeing performance observed during the last match, which raised numerous questions and caused considerable confusion,” it said in a statement.
“Certain decisions have damaged the credibility of African refereeing and do nothing to enhance the value of continental football on the international stage.”
CAF said it was also investigating incidents in Friday’s last-eight tie between the hosts and Cameroon.
Morocco won that game 2-0 in Rabat, Morocco, and the Indomitable Lions were notably unhappy at the officiating in particular the refusal to award them a penalty for a challenge on Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo in the second half.
(BBC Sports)
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